It can be chaotic after some earthquakes, particularly major earthquakes which have caused damage to both structures and people. After an earthquake, people and government organizations, including the police force and emergency responders, try and locate areas with the greatest amount of damage. Most people rely on their local emergency system (e.g., dialing 911) to report damage and requests for help which can overwhelm the emergency system and delay emergency assistance.
Due to the potential damage which can be caused by an earthquake, such as structure damage and people incurring injuries, it can be beneficial to provide an early warning system. An early warning system can allow time for people and businesses to prepare for an earthquake, including enough time for people to move to a safe location and for businesses to shut down and move workers away from dangerous locations. In addition, an early warning system can provide medical professionals time to stop delicate procedures and protect travelers by allowing them time to either slow down or move away from dangerous structures, such as bridges. Early warning systems can also allow time for emergency responders to prepare to respond, including opening fire station doors and starting generators.
Although early warning systems can be advantageous, they can be expensive and difficult to implement and maintain due to the large area of land and the number of people and businesses which can be affected by earthquakes. In addition, some warning systems are limited in their ability to warn people and businesses and at least some cannot acquire and relay information about earthquake damage. Therefore, information associated with or characterizing an earthquake, including extent of seismic activity and damage, can be limited which can result in ineffective emergency response.